1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of automobile interior lighting. More specifically, the invention comprises an entertainment lighting system which optionally replaces the conventional dome light.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many known devices for lighting the interior of an automobile. Most of these are small incandescent bulbs placed behind suitable diffusers or reflectors. One good example is the “dome light,” which is traditionally mounted on the interior of a car's roof. The dome light is often set to illuminate automatically when a door is opened. A manual control is often also provided so that the driver can turn on the light with the doors closed. A rheostat or other type of dimmer switch may also be provided, so that the driver can adjust the dome light's brightness. The dome light's location is provided with a +12 VDC lead and a ground lead. The provide power to the dome light.
In recent years interior lights intended primarily for entertainment have become more common. Decorative neon and LED lights are examples of entertainment lighting. These are intended primarily to provide a pleasing aesthetic effect. Most of these lights are static in nature. Their brightness and color may be varied, but their positions typically do not change.
Of course, entertainment lighting systems intends for static locations—such as discos—are typically much more sophisticated. These include flashing strobes, rotating “disco balls”, black lights, and similar items. This level of sophistication has not been used in the lighting of automobile interiors. The present invention seeks to provide such a sophisticated lighting system for the interior of an automobile.